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Saturday, March 23, 2013

Happy Birthday Joan Crawford!!

Modern Mechanics Hobbies and Inventions - January 1938

The Joan Crawford that most of us remember is the terrifying "Joan Crawford" played by Faye Dunaway in "Mommie Dearest." Which is a shame, because it reduces the memory of the accomplished film star to nothing more than a set of horrifying eyebrows, sharp shoulders and a bias against wire hangers. Not that Crawford didn't have her flaws.

Early in Crawford's career (she hit Hollywood in 1925), she was a flapper with bobbed hair and thigh-skimming dresses. Crawford carried the look so well that F. Scott Fitzgerald, that expert on the topic, was moved to write about her as "doubtless the best example of the flapper." In the 1930s, Crawford reached star status playing the smart working woman with a sophisticated wardrobe.

Famed costumer designer Adrian created a dress for Crawford in her role in 1932's "Letty Lynton." Though the film was quickly pulled from theaters on accusations of plagiarism, Macy's managed to copy the dress. To the modern eye, the extravagantly ruffled dress looks a bit like something out of "Toddlers and Tiaras." Yet, Macy's sold thousands upon thousands of copies.

Crawford's popularity continued. In the 1940s, Crawford traded the feminine gowns for highly structured suits and dresses. She darkened her hair and, of course, her brows. Her roles became just as dramatic as the garments, reaching a pinnacle with 1945's unforgettable "Mildred Pierce," the role that won Crawford an Academy Award for Lead Actress.

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